FOIA: Placitas NM Sighting 18JUL52 (Unidentified)

NM_JULY_18_1952.pdf
Placitas NM Sighting 18JUL52
This is a report on the sighting at Placitas, NM, by a civilian, of a UFO while observing constellations on 18JUL52
Document date: 1952-07-18
Department: IG OSI Kirtland AFB
Author: SA Adelbert C. von Maucher
Document type: Investigative Report
pages: 13


Archivist's Notes: Some of the doument is illegible but the report is intact. The last few pages might be part of one big diagram if laid side by side. The witness describes an object moving swiftly and making numerous ninety degree turns before heading out of sight. It was yellow/orange and disregarded as a meteor or falling star by the witness who was an avid star watcher.

Gotta love New Mexico Especially in this time frame (1947-1955) the amount of UFO sightings is to say at least baffling.

This sighting is furnished by the civilian Kenneth W. Davis, who reported seeing an object in the skies over Placitas, New Mexico in 18 July 1952 at approximately 22.00 o'clock. According to him (his daughter was present too) while observing the Constellation Corona Borealis he noticed an object appearing with a tremendous speed and after 15-20 seconds made two 90° sharp turns first west and after two, three seconds, south. No noise, no trails of burning. According to the witness the object seemed to fly in a constant altitude. The entire sighting lasted over 1 minute.

The witness which considering his expertise as a Navigation Meteorology and Trigonometry Instructor and also his familiarity with Constellations and their positions in the sky, meteors and falling stars, is very credible, the object didn't appear to be a meteor or a falling star.

[edit on 2-2-2008 by Telos]

Theres not much more to add to this report. Except for the 90 degree turns, the description of this sighting sounds just like a satellite passing over head. They appear like moving stars, except that this was in 1952, which is five years before the first satellite Sputnik launched in 1957.

Originally posted by Telos
Gotta love New Mexico

Especially in this time frame (1947-1955) the amount of UFO sightings is to say at least baffling.

It sure seems that way. Back then people were asked to report anything unusual and the military did a good job keeping records on them. Obviously they were interested thinking the sightings could be some other country spying in that area, but I wonder if there would still be the same number of sightings today.

I currently live fairly close to Placitas, across the river. Now Placitas is considered in the greater Albuquerque area, with the accompanying Light pollution so the night sky isn't nearly as clear as it was back in 52.

I still occasionally see UFOs but most of them can probably be explained.

Up north in the Four Corners region however, where the sky is open and free from light and smog/haze; I see a lot of weired stuff, similar to the FOIA report mentioned.

[edit on 3-2-2008 by whaaa]